Botany Downs Secondary College beat Tangaroa College in a promotion/relegation decider. Photo / Jared London
Botany Downs Secondary College beat Tangaroa College in a promotion/relegation decider. Photo / Jared London
Key points
Auckland’s 1A First XV new entrant ready to make an impression
Hamilton outplay Mt Albert ahead of Grammar derby
Westlake Boys’ High School pick up from where they left off
Palmerston North Boys’ High School come out on top
Christchurch Boys’ High and Nelson College on tour
Auckland’s 1A First XV rugby championship has a proud new entrant this season in the form of Botany Downs Secondary College - and out in East Tāmaki, they’re already talking of it being “a legacy year” for a school that only opened in 2004.
On Saturday, Botany DownsSecondary College, a co-ed school with a roll of 1900, beat Tangaroa College 31-0 in a promotion-relegation decider to realise an eight-year dream and ascend to the 1A ranks for the first time, after a history of having won three 1B championships since 2017.
In victory, head coach Logan Fui was quick to pay tribute to the many players, coaches and parents from past years who had paved the way for where his team is now, reflecting on how in 2020 Botany Downs had last gone close but were unsuccessful at the promotion-relegation stage.
“We are excited for the year ahead, to compete at the next level, but more importantly for our young people to strive towards excellence and continue their drive within their chosen sport,” Fui said.
“We know it’s a tough competition at the elite level but we are going to give our best as this is an opportunity most schools work for over many years and we understand the blessing this brings for our young people, with more experience and exposure at the next level of competition.”
Botany principal Karen Brinsden, who has been at the helm since the college’s inception, was just as delighted.
“I’ve always believed that it was not ‘if’ we could reach 1A but ‘when’,” she said. “From our first 1B final at Eden Park in August 2017, my mantra has always been ‘what will be, will be’, taking one game day at a time and building from season to season.
“I am immensely proud of our young men who meticulously prepared ahead of the season and left no stone unturned. Their victory in the promotion-relegation game was a testament to their hard work and the culture and dedication of our coaching team.”
The promotion match was a physical contest played at a fast pace. After Tangaroa had the majority of territory in the first 15 minutes, the opening try was scored by Jordan Good, who was wearing the college’s No 1 tribute jersey (for Damian Fui-Tiatia, who Botany lost two years earlier).
Lock Aiden Finefeuiaki and flanker Jacob Clarke also scored before halftime, with fullback PJ Field converting twice.
In the second half, there were tries to second five-eighths Connor Bowden - who was wearing No 23 after Botany rested the No 12 jersey in memory of Cory Heather, who had died from a head knock while playing for Beachlands Maraetai a week earlier - and Ryan Collett, with Field again converting.
In victory, Fui reflected on legacy, belief and brotherhood at Botany.
Botany Downs Secondary College have reached Auckland's 1A competition for the first time. Photo / Jared London
“I believe this team has been a gift to so many over the years,” he said. “I know in my time, I have encountered many personalities, and who we see at the start of the journey is not who we see at the end of it.”
And he also mused on first XV rugby as being a vehicle which brought a sense of vulnerability to players.
“It strips them down to their core purpose and adds various elements, life lessons and skillset, and without them knowing, we are actually building a more resilient person in the process.”
Botany host De La Salle College in the first round of 1A on Saturday, something that will be a much sterner test.
Meanwhile, Dilworth retained their 1A status with a 35-10 promotion-relegation win over Howick College.
Botany Downs 2024 squad: Gary Basson, T.J. Amosa, Benjamin Blundell, Connor Bowden, Jacob Clark, Ryan Collett, Noah Davies Faleuka, Jarvis Edmonds, Cass Faimanatu, Pj Field, Aidan Finefeuaki, Josh Gagiano, Tyler Gagiano, Jordan Good, Adama Graham, Caleb Justino, Lucas Justino, Tuia Maeva-Weston, Peter Maiava, Junior Maiava, Patrick Phiphatphol, Michael Pistorius, Flynn Rooks, Shirley Kieran, Zach Tait, Jo’andrew Taramai-Remo, Dylan Terblanche, Zeek Tuiloma, Peniamina Vai
Coach: Logan Fui
Assistants: Quintin Ludick, Craig Besley and Sua Ioane. Manager: Vanessa Walter
The Grammar derby
There is an old adage among stage actors that a bad final dress rehearsal foreshadows a great opening season performance, and Mt Albert Grammar must be desperately hoping the same applies in Auckland 1A First XV rugby.
Because Mt Albert face Auckland Grammar, the school they were originally a subsidiary of, away in the opening round of the 1A championship - after a dress rehearsal in which they travelled to Hamilton Boys’ High School on Saturday, only to get walloped 48-0 on one of the back fields.
It could hardly have been worse. Hamilton outplayed Mt Albert in all departments - and with a team still building and not scheduled for their own regular-season competition for another month.
Perhaps the only mitigating factors from a Mt Albert perspective were that a number of their players were freshly back from several days of school camp, while Hamilton inflicted a similar thrashing on Auckland Grammar last year - but it didn’t prevent them later staging a thrilling revival to come from behind and beat Mt Albert 28-25.
So, it’s anybody’s game. Mt Albert are this season coached by the highly experienced Charlie MacAlister, father of former All Black Luke. From 2007-10 under McAlister, they snared three 1A titles and the 2010 national crown. Earlier in pre-season, Mt Albert beat Whangārei Boys’ High School 19-10.
In pre-season Auckland Grammar beat Palmerston North Boys’ High 31-7, in a match played in Taupo, but were beaten 22-15 by Rotorua Boys’ High before then overcoming Tauranga Boys’ College 12-7. Hamilton Boys’ will play Auckland Grammar in Hamilton on Wednesday May 29.
Defending 1A champions Sacred Heart host Kelston Boys High, having lost a lot of their title-winning firepower from 2023, though were still able to easily beat St Paul’s College 40-10 in their final pre-season game on Saturday.
Most of the Sacred pack have gone, as has star first five Rico Simpson (now in the New Zealand Under-20s). But they still have a match-winner in Cohen Norrie, who could best be described as Sacred Heart’s answer to Damian McKenzie.
It remains to be seen whether, like McKenzie, Norrie will be shifted from fullback to first five in order to more directly influence matches. The Kelston clash may provide a clue.
St Kentigern’s hosting of St Peter’s should be a cracker. St Kents are fresh from another Presbyterian quadrangular tournament win, but were beaten 28-26 by Hastings Boys’ High School last month.
St Peters claimed the scalp of Blues region champs Westlake to earn the pre-season Hugh McGahan Cup, having earlier beaten Hamilton’s St John’s College 45-0.
However, they were rolled 31-27 by St Thomas of Canterbury and at the weekend lost 12-18 to Rotorua Boys’ High School.
Players to watch for at St Peter’s are flanker Joe-Jarvis Tuuga, halfback Matt Harris and first five Louie Kishimoto, a Kiwi of Japanese descent.
Old boy Jeff Ierome, who captained St Peter’s to the national title in 2000 and went on to play for Bay of Plenty, has taken over as the college’s director of rugby this year, with Dave Thomas having stepped down after seven years at the helm. Mark Wilson is the new First XV coach with Matt Skeen and Matt Johnson continuing as assistants.
Auckland 1A draw, Saturday: (home team first, all 2:30pm):
Saint Kentigern v St Peters; Auckland Grammar v Mt Albert Grammar; Sacred Heart v Kelston Boys’ High; St Pauls v Dilworth; King’s College v Liston College; Botany Downs v De La Salle.
Vaaia stars for Westlake
North Harbour and Blues champions Westlake Boys’ High School picked up from where they left off last season with a 44-10 win over Massey High School in front of a crowd of about 500.
Under new coaches, Westlake have retained their traditional game plan of high mobility, quickly spinning the ball wide and playing at pace, but their standout player was prop Alex Vaaia.
He’s a new-generation prop, built like a flanker but with the impact of a wrecking ball. As well as being incredibly hard, also appears to be game-smart, and it probably won’t be long before somebody from the NRL comes knocking for him.
Massey are in a rebuilding phase and gave it everything but there wasn’t a lot of structure to their game. They were starved of ball and Westlake were able to clear their bench at halftime.
However, Massey did manage two tries out side from defensive lapses and that’s something Westlake will need to be conscious of in this Saturday’s home derby against Rosmini, who were just pipped 32-34 by Whangārei Boys’ High School.
Mahurangi College beat Takapuna Grammar 16-5 and Rangitoto were 24-5 victors over Manurewa.
Westlake 2024 squad: Haydn Butler, Harry Cornelius, Luke Cudby, Ollie Davies, Ashton Falloon, Travis Findlay, Brody Good, Lee-Hanru Greyvenstein, Kyson Hughes, Taine Jackson, Arlo Leith, Levi Leith, Jarlon Lesatele, Blake Lidgard, Jacob Ludlow, Jack Mahan, David Malo, Ului Moala, Ezra Morgan-Tafea, Alec Oelofse, Daniel Paea, Jano Peens, Hugo Pieterse, Thomas Rawiri, Mackenzy Roberts, Jeremiah Samoa, Demetrius Sanft, Solomone Tuitupou, Kaiva Tulimanu, Alex Vaaia, J.D. Van Der Westhuizen, Werner Van Staden.
North Harbour First XV draw, Saturday (all games 12 noon, home team first):
Rangitoto v Mahurangi; Whangārei v Takapuna; Massey v Manurewa, Westlake v Rosmini.
Palmerston North come out on top
The eagerly anticipated clash between Palmerston North Boys’ High School and Feilding High School, the first since 2015, attracted a bigger crowd than the 2023 Hankins Shield senior final and the largest attendance seen at any rugby match in Manawatū since the Hurricanes-Rebels Super Rugby Pacific fixture on March 22.
Palmerston North underscored their strong credentials with a resounding 36-22 victory, though Feilding started with gusto until a huge hit from Tevita Fakahau defused a promising attack. From a turnover, Hunter Kennedy outpaced the defence from 60 metres.
Palmerston North were able to dominate field position with astute tactical kicking and from another Feilding turnover, Jamie Viljoen darted over from an ensuing scrum.
Down 17-0, Feilding went to the sheds with fleeting optimism when James Tuituba broke through following a string of penalties. Palmerston North snaffled a turnover early in the second spell and Kennedy scored a second from a choreographed scrum move.
Feilding’s Peni Havea collected a charged-down kick to make it 24-12 but when Feilding failed to regain the restart, they were punished. Kruiz Ioane galloped 20 metres before being dragged down just short. Viljoen went even closer before Fakahau muscled over.
Behind 36-12, Feilding had no chance of winning but wouldn’t surrender meekly. Their final try to Dan Maisiri was an 80m finish from a fullback familiar to representative selectors.
FAHS 22 (James Tuituba, Peni Havea Zach Filer, Dan Maisiri; Tyrese Tane con)
In other Tranzit Coachlines First XV fixtures, St Patrick’s Silverstream were the only Wellington school to score points in foiling Napier Boys’ High School 26-12. Sam Thompson, William Davis, Jeremiah Peleseuma, and Thompson Tukapua scored tries for a Silverstream side that had control of proceedings until the last 20 minutes, when they received two yellow cards.
Hastings Boys’ High School downed Wellington College 27-0 while Hutt International Boys’ School (Hibs) was whitewashed 32-0 by Gisborne Boys’ High School in their Tranzit Coachlines Festival debut fixture. Hibs made the semifinals of the Wellington Premiership for the first time since opening in 1991 last year and bravely held Gisborne to 10-0 at halftime, finishing with no players on the bench. No 8 Rhys Evans was a standout.
Meanwhile College Sport Wellington (CSW) contacted the Herald to clarify that Wellington champions Scots College withdrew from the pre-season festival on their own accord and no CSW-sanctioned penalty was imposed for their reserves dispute with Feilding High School in the Hurricanes Regional semifinal last year. A recent fixture between Scots and Whanganui Collegiate fell through when Whanganui was unable to play.
Round 2 Festival Fixtures: Gisborne Boys’ High 11.30am Saturday: Gisborne v St Pats Silverstream; Napier v Wellington. 1pm: Palmerston North v Hibs. TBC: Hastings v Feilding.
Southland finish fourth
Southland Boys High School finished fourth in the Sanix World Rugby Youth Invitational Tournament in Japan last week, having been invited to represent New Zealand at the 16-team tourney after winning the National Top Four in 2023.
Southland won all three (50-minute) group games against Kokugakain University Tochigi High School (Japan) 39-24, Higashi Fukuoka High School (Japan) 14-12, and American side Jesuit High School (73-0).
But unfortunately they were left to rue a slow start in their 17-24 semifinal loss to Japanese college Osaka Toin High School, who opened the semifinal scoring after just three minutes with a try and by the 15-minute mark were ahead 17-0.
Sohthland captain Taine Withy - playing at second five-eighths - scored from a pick and go late in the first half to make 17-7 at halftime and his team were level after 45 minutes.
Rampaging hooker Jake Evans scored a brilliant try, slicing through multiple tacklers. First five Mika Muliana kicked the conversion from out wide to make it 17-14 and then added a penalty.
Osaka Toin High School proved stubborn opponents though and scored a third converted try to lead 24-17 with 10 minutes to play.
Southland emptied their barrels with Jimmy Taylor to the fore. Osaka were resolute and would go on to win the final 17-15 against Tion Gauken High School.
In the playoff for third place, Southland were beaten by Sydney outfit St Augustine’s College.
Despite a brace of tries by prop Presley McHugh, St Augustine’s pulled clear midway through the second half with two tries when leading 19-14.
Schools from 20 different counties have now competed in the tournament since it started in 2000. Hamilton Boys’ High, Kelston Boys’ High, Rotorua Boys’ High, Christchurch Boys’ High and St Kentigern College have won previous tournaments.
Irish centurion and British and Irish Lions first five Johnny Sexton (124 Tests, 1113 points, 81 wins) is the most famous player to have taken part.
Manukura girls in Japan
Meanwhile National Top Four girls winners Manukura competed in a sevens tournament in Japan and finished fourth. The Palmerston North-based school side were in commanding form in pool play, thrashing Japanese outfits Reitaku, 31-5 and Kyoto Seisho, 24-7.
Thailand’s Rajaprajanugrogh 66 received a 60-0 hiding. Unfortunately, in heavy rain, Manukura came unstuck to Fukuoka RFC 5-17 in the next round, which ruled them out of championship contention.
Still, the tour was an epic experience for the girls. Highlights included visits to Osaka Castle, Disney Sea, bullet trains, foreign cuisine and an audience with alumni student Nia Sutherland and former teacher and Black Fern Janna Vaughan, who plays professionally for the Mie Pearls.
Vaughan was the first coach of Manakura. She also played sevens and league for New Zealand and is an accomplished Muay Thai fighter, having won four national titles.
Christchurch Boys’ High and Nelson College on tour
Christchurch Boys’ High School and Nelson College will headline the opening round of the Myles Toyota Premiership on May 18, which features the same 10 teams as 2023 contesting a single round-robin before semis and an August final.
Christchurch and Nelson have won 16 championships since the inception of the competition in 2001 and last year they contested a thrilling decider, with Christchurch winning 30-26.
With 20 players returning, Nelson have retained more players than Christchurch. Jono Phillips will coach Nelson for the last time, pursuing a fourth championship in six seasons.
Colossal props Samuela Takapu and Oliver Kirk will anchor the front row, while Crusaders Under-18 reps Kobe Brownlee and Saumaki Saumaki provide strength across the back row. Oliver Gibbons and Harrison Inch are an experienced duo at halfback and first five.
Nelson toured Wellington to start 2024 and defeated New Plymouth BHS (33-22) but succumbed to St Pats Silverstream (15-33).
Defending champions Christchurch toured Queensland and played the Southport School in four 20-minute periods and then split matches against Nudgee College (21-31) and Brisbane Boys’ College (31-28).
St Thomas of Canterbury College will be ones to watch in 2024. In pre-season, they have beaten Shirley Boys’ High School (40-20), St Peter’s College, Auckland (31-27), Otago Boys’ High School (26-22) and Kings’ High School, Dunedin (38-27).
Readers are invited to send their first XV rugby updates, news snippets and hot takes to nzschoolboyrugby@gmail.com.
